Song of the Day (12/6/09)

One of the most underrated guitarists of all time, in my opinion, is Pink Floyd's David Gilmour. I'm not exactly sure how technically difficult the things that Gilmour does on the guitar are, but his utterly angelic guitar tone injects a certain inexplicable emotion that tugs at one's heartstrings. With the prominent pitch bends and wailing notes, there's just this unique sensuality to his playing. What shouldn't be forgotten either is his beautiful singing voice, either sharing vocals with Roger Waters or going solo on most Pink Floyd songs—or, the best pairing in my estimation, Gilmour's harmonizing with keyboardist Richard Wright on Dark Side of the Moon's "Us and Them." As the relation among Floyd members began to dissolve with Roger Waters' increasing dominance over the creative process, David Gilmour pursued a solo career. He achieved fairly significant success with his self-titled debut in 1978, bolstered by the single, "There's No Way Out of Here." Today's Song of the Day selection comes from a much more recent solo effort, On An Island from 1996, and features the distinct Gilmour guitar that Floydians have come to know and love, along with signature Gilmour vocals. Sit back, relax, and let it the classic rock sound wash over you...

David Gilmour: "On An Island"